Washington (CNN) - Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Michigan, used this week's Republican internet and radio address to slam several initiatives championed by President Obama and congressional Democrats - including the recently passed health care law, the $800 billion stimulus package, and the financial regulatory reform bill currently under consideration by the Senate.

“Hi – I’m Congressman Pete Hoekstra from Michigan. Today, President Obama will deliver the commencement address at the University of Michigan, my alma mater. This is a moment filled with optimism and pride – for both the graduates and their families. I join with Michiganders across the state in welcoming President Obama to our home.

“We also welcome the opportunity to show the President – first hand – the painful plight of the people of Michigan. Like countless Americans, they face fewer jobs and fewer opportunities today than when he took office. The Democrats have run Congress since 2007, and yet when the residents of Michigan and across America ask themselves are they better off now than they were four years ago, the answer is – inevitably – ‘no.’

“The problem is worst among our young people. Many of the graduates President Obama will address will soon learn first-hand how tough it is to find a job in this economy. In fact, the share of young Americans out of work – 37 percent, to be exact – is the highest it’s been in more than 50 years.

“Americans are asking ‘where are the jobs?’ Washington’s answer, ‘trust us,’ rings as hollow today as it did a year ago, and a year before that. In Michigan and in Washington, sprawling government expansion has weighed heavily on the backs of people already pushed to the breaking point.

“Enough is enough. We simply can’t go on like this. That’s why Republicans have proposed smart, common-sense solutions to create jobs, reduce spending, and clear the way for American opportunity and ingenuity to lead us to a better future.

“But Democrats in Washington have repeatedly chosen to go it alone with their partisan, big-government, tax-borrow-and-spend agenda. We saw it with the economic stimulus spending, the-cap and-trade bill, with health care, and we’re now seeing it again with the bailout bill President Obama and Democrats are trying to rush through Congress.

“The American people have spoken loud and clear: They’ve told us ‘No more bailouts. Never again.’ We’ve heard you, and that’s why Republicans have been working in good faith to guarantee this legislation would protect taxpayers from being forced to bail out Wall Street banks yet again.

“Of course, we’ve seen this tired partisan playbook from Washington Democrats before: it’s exactly how a trillion-dollar government takeover of health care that Americans strongly opposed became the law of the land.

“An Obama Administration report released last week says that under the new health care law, national health care costs will increase – increase – by $311 billion over the next 10 years. A month ago, they said it would lower costs. Today, they admit it will increase costs. Why didn’t the American people get the real truth before the bill was passed?

“Need another example? Remember how President Obama pledged that his trillion-dollar ‘stimulus’ would create jobs immediately and keep unemployment below eight percent? Well, our economy has lost millions of jobs since then and unemployment is near double-digits nationwide – and above 14 percent here in Michigan.

“The one thing the American people wanted out of the ‘stimulus’ was jobs – it didn’t happen.

“The one thing the American people wanted out of health care reform was lower costs – it didn’t happen.

“The American people want financial reforms that end the bailouts, don’t kill jobs, and address the root causes of the financial crisis. But do you think we can trust Washington to deliver?

“The House passed a bill that makes the bailouts permanent, and the Senate bill kills jobs, hurts small businesses on Main Street, and does nothing to address the government mortgage companies that caused the meltdown by giving too many high-risk loans to people who couldn’t afford it.

“Republicans are standing with the American people and the people of Michigan by fighting for an end to permanent bailouts, ending wasteful Washington spending, and proposing a plan that would address the root causes of the financial crisis. We are standing for real solutions.

“Today’s graduates at the University of Michigan are looking for the economic freedom and opportunity of every previous American generation. Let’s give it to them.

soundoff(220 Responses)

After the fall elections there should be enough votes to start the impeachment process, Hope is not a plan folks

May 1, 2010 11:21 am at 11:21 am |

Susan

Yes, Enough is Enough.
I am glad that your sleep is over; after all you slept for eight Bush years.

May 1, 2010 11:22 am at 11:22 am |

Mike

I wonder if Hoekstra said "Enough is 'Enough" after 8 years of Bush. That's after he destroyed the economy, got us stuck in two wars, and allowed 911 to happen. The Republicans don't know what a smart common-sense solution looks like.

May 1, 2010 11:23 am at 11:23 am |

Lost in Texas FOREVER

let's see the bailouts started with...............oh yeah a Republican president. How nice of them to forget that. But I agree that we just need to let banks and the industries like the auto just fail. All that will do is raise the unemployment level, cause a further slump in the economy, and put more people on those socialist handout programs that the tea party so rallies against. But as usual the GOP has a solution for it...more tax cuts for the wealthy so that they can make jobs, Worked pretty well for them in the Bush years, right?

May 1, 2010 11:23 am at 11:23 am |

Otto

I have no need to wonder about this subject and I know the GOP never bother to raise a finger at George Bush policies. Did this gentleman raised concerns about the wasteful spending on the Iraq war? You bet he did not but instead marched like a blnd solder into waste.

Enough already of the party on No and we can take a closer look at the fall out of the current oil spil in LA to determine the lack of over sight and hands off approach of the GOP in allowing greed over facts.

Go on Mr. Politician, Dril baby Dril!

May 1, 2010 11:25 am at 11:25 am |

Future expat

Why do Republicans act as if everything before January 20, 2009 12:00 pm EST was all sunshine and rainbows?

Why do they continue to treat Americans like gullible idiots and blatantly LIE like this: "The House passed a bill that makes the bailouts permanent, and the Senate bill kills jobs, hurts small businesses on Main Street" every time they open their mouths?

May 1, 2010 11:30 am at 11:30 am |

maf

Continual blah, blah, blah, boring tired comments from the increasingly long line of Republican talking heads.
Continue to be the party of NO and your world's will come crashing down around you in 2010 and 2012.
Play nice with others and see if you can be part of the "change" that was brought in with this administration and you might be able to keep your jobs.
So far with nothing to say and nothing to add, the GOP tactics of obstructionism, fear mongering and simply playing politics, will not help you.

May 1, 2010 11:30 am at 11:30 am |

GI Joe

The republcans are so afraid of rolling up their sleeves and working for the people of this country.

A lot is required after 8 years being "lead" by a man doing nothing but having a contest with Karl Rove to see who could read the most books each year (Rove vs Bushie).

This country is in two wars (one of them illegal) and a lot of other stuff needs to be fixed.

If the republicans can't do the job, move over and let someone else try.

May 1, 2010 11:32 am at 11:32 am |

Former Republican

Obama is a Republican nightmare. A president that has done more for the American people in 2 years than the Republicans did for the last 8 years. The Republicans, in their vendetta to harm Obama, continue to harm all Americans. Republicans are the party of "No!" and big business Well, I'll vote "No!" for the party of "No!" next election.

May 1, 2010 11:34 am at 11:34 am |

DougS

Oh my gosh , Obama's trying to help those with calloused hands and sore backs. We must stop this socialist agenda.

May 1, 2010 11:34 am at 11:34 am |

PK California

All graduates are looking for opportunity, not just U of M. Why don't you Republicans join with Obama and try to solve the problems everyone is facing? You have done nothing but say NO to everything proposed. Bush's ways put us here and Obama is working as hard as he can to get out of this mess! We cannot do things the way they were done in the past. We are trying a whole new approach, but you are not willing to join in giving it a try.NO we can't cut taxes and NO we can't play to big business anymore. No one wants to have to spend a lot of money, but, it's a new approach and just may work. When we finish these wars that are sponging all of our money, we will be able to get back on board. In the meantime, come up with a NEW idea of your own and let's hear it! You have no right to find fault if you have nothing better to offer!

May 1, 2010 11:34 am at 11:34 am |

abe

Stop complaining, come up with a solution. That is your job and your party to work on a bipartisan way.

May 1, 2010 11:34 am at 11:34 am |

Independant Jane in Nevada

Something new here?
Enough is enough?
Like they've "just been putting up with this" all this time and now they're putting their foot down.
Go ahead. Put your foot down. Put both feet down. Stomp a lot, too.
Then, go screw your dummy heads back on straight and figure out how to connect with voters in a more convincing way...

May 1, 2010 11:35 am at 11:35 am |

Charlie in Maine

'Enough is enough,'

I could not agree more. Only not in the way he means. I've had enough of GOP sniping. Say what yiou want about liberals and George W Bush but at least we waited for him to do wrong things before we attacked him. You gauys just whining NO at everything is getting boring and dangerous. It is dangerous because as much as I like Obama I know he will not be right every time and I am countining on the opposition to let us know when. You are like the boy crying wolf. When he is wrong we won't be able to believe you because of all your hypernegativity. Luckily for our Country he won't be wrong too many times.

May 1, 2010 11:35 am at 11:35 am |

katiec

When saying enough is enough, he must be confused as that is what the American people are saying about the republicans obstruction,
sewer tactics and incapabilities of acceptable ideas and solutions.
Their quest to continue their support of Wall St over the American people, destroy anything and everything they can, win at any cost is leading them to the path of becoming our most dangerous domestic terrorists.

May 1, 2010 11:35 am at 11:35 am |

Dan Miller

It is not the federal government's job to create jobs. This isn't a communist country; the gov't doesn't run the economy. The best the gov't can do is to encourage conditions in which private enterprises can hire; it can't control employment on its own. Therefore, it's wrong to blame the high unemployment rate on the gov't in general or President Obama in particular.

May 1, 2010 11:36 am at 11:36 am |

kilo charlie

"enough is enough". stop making things happen,stop getting things done in washington. stop passing legislation that helps people less fortunate than me and my fellow republicans.

May 1, 2010 11:37 am at 11:37 am |

Chloe in Chatsworth, CA

Actually "Americans spoke out loud and clear" in the last election, which is why Obama and the Democratic majority were elected. When you lose the election you don't get to call the shots. It's kind of the point of Democracy. That said, if McCain had won I can't believe he would have just cut taxes and government spending, then waited for what George Bush Sr. called "voodoo economics" (AKA trickle down economics) to miraculously save us from another Great Depression. (However if he had quickly kicked off and his VP were in charge it's anybody's guess where we'd be now.)

May 1, 2010 11:37 am at 11:37 am |

Mike

When the GOP takes control of both houses of Congress either in 2010 or 2012, their work will be cut out for them. They will have to repeal or change nobamas health care deformity among alot of other things he and his liberal colleagues have implemented.

May 1, 2010 11:37 am at 11:37 am |

tom

Hey idiot...never mind that the stimulus package has actually worked right? GM has paid back $$ 5yrs early with interest. DOW went from 7000 at the end of the GOP led govt. to 110000 today. 3qtr in a row improvement on economy. Consumer spending up. So yeah....Dems have done some baaaaaad things haven't they? In only 1yr they've managed to pull us a little bit out of the black hole created by Bush?Cheney sideshow. (of course Cheney was Bush's Gepetto)

May 1, 2010 11:38 am at 11:38 am |

Tommy Perkins

Maybe if republicans stop blocking every dime that comes down to the states things can get done.

May 1, 2010 11:39 am at 11:39 am |

Peter Tuths

This guy is such a scumbag. Could neo-Conservatives please stop saying that "America has spoken" and "I speak for America," as it is so obvious that you just say these things to make weak-minded people think, "ya, this guys speaks for me!" Everytime I hear one of you guys say this and then drone on about the same generic "anti-government" blather that you've been saying non-stop since Obama was elected it feels like getting beaten over the head with a rhetoric hammer.

Seriously, does this guy think that he is saying anything new? Or that saying that he welcomes Obama into his old school and then bashing him and the Democrats for 97% of the video is anything but a classless move?

May 1, 2010 11:39 am at 11:39 am |

musician

I think he needs to read the bill and then remind himself who caused the collapse and who bailed out the banks. It was the REPUBLICANS.... you nitwit. That`s some seriously crazy spin from this dude.

May 1, 2010 11:41 am at 11:41 am |

Brad

Someone from the GOP asking where the jobs are...Please. You guys lost them all under the Bush admin. Which is why you are the minority party these days. Since Obama was elected the country has made a U-turn from the Bush years, lets not go back to giving it all to the rich and hoping they throw us a bone or two.

May 1, 2010 11:46 am at 11:46 am |

21k

bush signed the $700 bail out bill in oct or nov of 2008, while still in office. did hoekstra vote for it then? if not, he has a right to complain. if he did vote for it back then, then he is a hypocrite.